Whirlwind day for Cardinals' Wong

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals’ first-round draft pick had to endure a nine-hour layover before getting his first glimpse of Busch Stadium.

FROM WIRE REPORTS

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals’ first-round draft pick had to endure a nine-hour layover before getting his first glimpse of Busch Stadium.

Second baseman Kolten Wong, last season’s Cape Cod Baseball League MVP with the Orleans Firebirds, had taken a short flight from his home in Hilo, Hawaii, then got stuck at Honolulu International Airport after his connection was canceled due to bad weather.

When Wong finally arrived in St. Louis his baggage hadn’t made it, and the team had to take him to buy some clothes so he could meet the media Saturday before the Cardinals’ interleague game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

“All in all, I’m just amazed to be here,” Wong said. “Maybe this is something the baseball gods want to teach me, ‘Welcome to the major leagues.’

“I think tomorrow there might be a little jet lag.”

Getting a chance to take batting practice before today’s game is likely to give him some adrenaline.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Wong was the 22nd overall pick out of Hawaii and made good on his draft-night statement that he was eager to sign. He’ll report to Class A Quad Cities on Monday.

“I didn’t want to sit back and wait,” Wong said. “I wanted to get out there and start playing. I’m just so excited to be here and start my professional career.”

Wong batted .378 last season as a junior with seven home runs and 53 RBIs in 57 games.